After such a rough day yesterday, we are yet again in a different "light" today. Zack is still tired and somewhat weak, but not as much as yesterday. He wakes up with a little bit more of a smile. He has seen all the people that posted on facebook and somehow feels more a part of the community. His color is even better today. He rested quite a bit yesterday which is exactly what he needed.
He gets up, eats some breakfast and hangs out in his room checking websites and watching some of his shows. I decided to take it easy today. I can feel emotionally that I have no more to give and the only way to rejuvenate is to rest. Frank came in and asked Zack to go fishing down at the pond behind our house. We can tell Zack is really not up to it, but know that getting out and walking just a little bit will do him some good. He decides to go ahead for a little while and after about an hour or so returns home. Frank later tells me that he followed him home to make sure he was okay, as he said he was pretty weak. He said he took his time walking back and though he saw that he was not able to walk as fast as he usually has in the past, he wasn't out of breath or struggling.
Zack and I started to watch Hamlet, with Patrick Stewart. A three hour modernized version which he is required to watch and write a paper on. After about thirty minutes he said he would rather read the book, but since that's not what the assignment is, we will resume watching it tomorrow.
Around 2 pm he comes out of his room and announces that today was the Halloween Festival on Main Street. We never even thought about it this year, we have, in the past set up a water feature or at least gone to see the vendors which are less and less each year. Even though Zack is grounded for a couple of days (yes, as tough as it is, we still have to be parents), we decided to take him later in the afternoon when the crowds would be less. We set out around 4 pm and immediately upon arrival see a couple of his good friends from school. Frank and I leave him to hang out with his friends and walk up ahead to check out the vendors. It is just the right crowd. Not so many people that you are close to anyone, so we don't worry about him getting sick, it is also all outside. As we walk up one side and head down the other I see Zack wandering towards us. He has a symbol painted on the left side of his face. He tells us that Parrish, his art teacher for three years painted it for him. That was his main purpose to go, so that he could see his art friends. He has been in the Art classes and Art guild for three years and was going to continue in the guild this year. The summer before last he went to SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) to see if he wanted to become a professional artist and came out understanding that he loved art, but wanted to become a professional mechanic and keep art as his past time.
As we head back to the car, we stop and see Parrish at the Art Guild booth where they are raising funds by painting faces. He pulls me to the side and says that the guild really wants to do something. Could they do come and visit? How does that work? I tell him that Zack would love to have them visit. He is allowed to be around small groups of people when his counts are good and as long as no one is sick. When they enter the house they must wash their hands and avoid physical contact, just to play it safe. He takes my blog as well as email address and tells me he will be in touch soon. While standing there, Linda (mother in law) comes up to us with her niece who is waiting to get her face painted. Frank had won a plant from the Master Gardeners when he was able to name it (personally they didn't know who they were dealing with!) and he decided to give it to Linda, who accepted it gladly.
We arrive home, order a pizza and are ready to settle in for the night, when Frank and Zack decide to set up the new fire pit I purchased last week. Zack receives texts from a few of his friends and asks if it's okay for them to come by. Frank says that he is allowed two friends only (part of being grounded). They get a nice fire started and the three of us sit out there and talk about cars, the fire and pretty much anything else that comes to mind. The sky is lit up beautifully with the reddest sunset and I'm actually enjoying just sitting with my two guys. After about an hour his friends arrive, there are four and instead of them going out to eat, they bring it back here so they can hang out with Zack. Frank and I come back in the house to give them some teen time, when I ask Frank if we can bend the rules and let all four kids stay, this is the first time this weekend that I see Zack happy and having a good time. Frank, of course, agrees.
At some point during the evening Zack comes in and shows me a text message on his phone. The truck he loved so much has sold. We tell him that there is something better out there and when the time is right he will have more fun shopping as he will then have the money from his other vehicles selling and will be able to be pay cash and own it outright. He does seem to get over it quickly, it helps that his friends are here to distract him. Drake stops by when he sees all the trucks. I think his feelings were hurt as he thinks that he wasn't invited and I tell him that no one was, they asked if they could stop by after getting their meals. I told him Zack was still grounded, but since he has been having a hard time this weekend we decided to let all of the kids stay. He tells me that Zack is not supposed to know, but the school has cancer t -shirts and everyone is selling them as a fundraiser for Zack. He and one of the other kids told me that they were selling them at last nights game and they are selling like crazy. At times when you feel alone, you are reminded that you are not! Zack at times feels this way, but hopefully, he will realize that he is NOT alone, he never has been!
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